Applying for Admission

Admission Policy

Hesston College admits those students who will benefit from the educational environment of the college and who will contribute to the shared life of the campus community. Applicants seeking a degree from Hesston College must be graduates of an accredited high school or its equivalent to be eligible to attend. Admission is granted after careful review of the candidate’s academic promise, social character and potential for success. Hesston College does not discriminate based on age, gender, race/ethnicity, religion or disability. Applicants who have not completed high school but have taken the General Educational Development tests (G.E.D.) are considered for admission on the basis of official test scores. Each applicant to Hesston College shall be considered for acceptance based on the indicators below. Evidence of each indicator may include but not be limited to: official academic records, student information forms, personal reference forms or personal contact with the applicant. Failure to meet any criterion may result in Academic Contractual Acceptance or rejection of application.

Academic Promise

  • High school transcript indicates an unweighted cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above (for freshmen), and college transcript(s) indicates a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above (for transfers).
  • Transcript with graduation date or GED certificate.
  • Standardized test scores are optional. Submitting test scores could increase academic scholarship awards.

Social Character

  • Displays appropriate social interactions.
  • Will contribute to campus community in a positive way.
  • Able to live independently by managing such things as time schedule, self care and finances.

Potential for Success

  • Understands the expectations of Hesston College and able to adhere to stated community standards.
  • Expresses personal and academic goals for attending college.

Applicants who do not meet these criteria will be reviewed by an Academic Contractual Acceptance Committee chosen and chaired by the vice president of enrollment management and will include: academic dean, director of retention and admissions counselor.

Admission

United States applicants, including transfer students, who intend to earn a degree at Hesston College are asked to complete the following steps:

  1. Application. Submit a completed application to Hesston College Admissions. Some academic programs may require a separate application. Application forms are online in the admissions section of the college website (www.hesston.edu). No application fee is required.
  2. Academic records. Arrange for official copies of the following records to be sent to Hesston College Admissions:
    1. High school transcript and/or General Education Development (G.E.D.) test results. Admission will be granted on the basis of a six or seven semester transcript, but a final transcript showing graduation date and grade point average must be on file before the student can attend classes. This requirement may be waived for students with an associate degree or higher. For academic records, home-schooled applicants are required to submit 1) an outline or transcript of coursework covered including grades earned or a GED test score, and 2) standardized test (ACT/SAT) scores. The Admissions office may also request a certificate of high school completion from the home state.
    2. Transcripts of all previous college course work taken (if applicable).
    3. Results of all exams taken through Advanced Placement (AP), College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or other testing agencies (if applicable).
  3. SAT or ACT test scores. Hesston College is test optional. Students who enroll for fall 2024 have the option to have the ACT or SAT test considered for acceptance if it benefits them. (All nursing, engineering and aviation majors have a test score requirement.) To submit SAT I (Scholastic Aptitude Tests) or ACT (American College Test) scores, send them to the following codes: 6274 for SAT and 1416 for ACT. Hesston College will superscore ACT and SAT tests when students submit multiple scores to the college. Non traditional students who have not completed one of these tests will be required to take ACCUPLACER before acceptance. This requirement may be waived for students with an associate degree or higher. Hesston College will thoroughly review each student’s application and transcript and may require additional supporting materials to make an acceptance decision.
  4. Students who are citizens or residents of U.S. territories may be required to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) if they did not study at an English speaking high school.
  5. Prepayment. Upon acceptance, submit a deposit of $200. The fee is refundable upon request until May 1. This tuition deposit is applied toward first term tuition expenses.
  6. References. Hesston College requires references for applicants to the nursing and aviation degree programs and students admitted on Academic Contractual Acceptance. References may also be requested for any student in the application review process. It is preferred that references be submitted by high school teachers or guidance counselors who know the applicant well. Applicants who have been out of school may use employers or pastors and nursing program applicants who are employed in health care must include one reference from the current employer. The college will not accept references from the prospective student’s personal friends or relatives. Persons providing references for applicants should complete the form at hesston.edu/reference.

Non-degree seeking applicants are asked to complete a community student application. No application fee is required. If at a later date the student chooses to earn a degree at Hesston College, they will be asked to complete the regular admission process.

High school students who wish to take courses while completing their high school requirements must submit a completed community student application form. A part-time student who has not completed high school or furnished the results of the GED will be considered a degree-seeking student once they have completed 24 hours of Hesston College credit. At that point, for any hours enrolled subsequently, the student shall be required to complete the regular admissions process.

International applicants are asked to complete the following steps:

  1. Application. Application forms are available from the International Admissions Office or online in the international admissions section of the college website (www.hesston.edu/international-app). If submitting a paper application, complete the application and send it as an email attachment to international@hesston.edu. No application fee is required.
  2. Academic records. Send a copy of the secondary school transcript (courses taken and grades earned) to Hesston College. If a national exam has been taken, send a copy of the results to the college as soon as available. If any university study has been completed, send a copy of that transcript as well. ACT and SAT scores are not required. Hesston College will accept a scanned copy of interim/incomplete official transcripts for the admission process. Final, official transcripts must be submitted as soon as available and must be received before the student can begin classes. If the official transcript does not include a graduation date, then a diploma or certificate of completion is also required. All documents may be submitted electronically.
  3. English proficiency requirement. An English language proficiency score is required in most cases. Minimum required score is 32 on the Internet-Based TOEFL (iBT) or 75 on the Duolingo English Test. Students who achieve scores above the following scores are not required to enroll in any English as a Second Language (ESL) courses at Hesston College: 61 on the iBT or 100 on Duolingo. The college also recognizes STEP EIKEN test results: Pre-2 is required for admission with ESL requirement; 2A or higher is required for admission with no ESL requirement. IELTS scores are also accepted: 4.5 is required for admission with ESL requirement; 6 is required for admission with no ESL requirement. For score requirements of other tests, visit www.hesston.edu/admissions/international/apply/.
  4. Evidence of sufficient funds. Evidence of funds for a minimum of the first year of study must be assured and a $200 non-refundable deposit submitted before final admission is granted. A bank statement or bank letter showing sufficient funds is usually acceptable for this requirement.
  5. A payment plan must be in place for any outstanding balances and the account must be current with no overdue balances pending. For new students, a payment of $2,000 is required in the absence of a payment plan prior to attending classes. A financial aid file must be completed before any aid due the student can be applied to their account.
  6. A scan or photograph of the student’s passport must be sent to international@hesston.edu

Additional Documents Required

All applicants must provide the following documents, in addition to the academic records mentioned above, prior to the first day of classes. Failure to provide any one of them by the end of the second week of classes may result in dismissal.

  1. Enrollment in the Hesston College insurance program is required for international students, clinical nursing students, aviation students and student athletes.
  2. All health records requested by the Student Life office must be on file.

Catalog 2024-25